Im an 18 year old female. I find it hard to sustain exercise due to shortness of breath and a tight feeling in my chest. This also occurs granted much mild in cases such as walking upstairs or at random intervals for no reason.

Ive never been extremely physically fit but am not over weight. Currently training in taekwondo 3/4nights a week and attempting to run most days but struggerling to run more than 500/600m due to shortness of breath. I also had to drop out of sparing in taekwondo tonight as I just couldn’t breath this is getting annoying as im due to grade for black belt in a few months.

I don’t know if this is relevant but I also suffered from recurrent nose bleeds as a kid with it having to be cauterised as an emergency multiple times. Also could this poor exercise tolerance be linked to my hayfever and what can I do to improve thanks.

While this definitely could be related to your hay fever and history of nosebleeds (probably also related to each other), you may even have asthma, which often presents insidiously and without loud, obvious wheezing.

You definitely should have at least a general medical exam with an eye toward uncovering any possible lung problem, and in particular to rule out asthma, especially exercise-induced type.

I hope this is helpful. Good luck to you. Please follow up with us here as needed.